Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
• EDWARD LYMAN BILL-
Editor and Proprietor
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY
~~
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Entered at the New Yvrk Post Office as Secvnd Class Matter.
NEW YORK, MAY 14, 1898.
TELEPHONE NUMBER, 1745--EiaHTEENTH STREET.
the fact that too large an organization be-
came invariably too unwieldy at conven-
tions. So much so that at a number of
conventions no important results were ac-
complished.
The lesson learned by experience, how-
ever, was that it was expedient to reduce
the membership in the International
League by cutting down the number of
delegates from each local organization.
In that way business of importance was
handled speedily and intelligently. In fact
the increase of membership in any organi-
zation whose direct object it is to promote
special interests always hampers the work-
ings of that organization, rather than
accelerate them.
THE KEYNOTE.
The first week of each month, The Review will
contain a supplement embodying the literary
and musical features which have heretofore
appeared in The Keynote. This amalgamation
will be effected without in any way trespassing
on our regular news service. The Review will
continue to remain, as before, essentially a
trade paper.
TROUBLE WITH LARGE ASSOCIATIONS.
Again, another trouble with large or-
ganizations is this: Too much irrelevant
business is forced upon a meeting in the
way of matters which could be best dis-
cussed by a committee from the local or-
ASSOCIATION SUGGESTIONS*
ganization, who should have previously
INCONTROVERTIBLE evidence that
decided upon whether the matter should
the dealers of America are looking for-
reach the importance of a consideration by
ward with anticipatory interest to the pro-
the convention or not. In almost every
posed convention of the National Piano
large and unwieldy organization there is
Manufacturers' Association, is manifest in
usually a preponderance of members who
the hundreds of letters received at this
wish to air their eloquence at the time and
office in reply to The Review query,
expense of others. They usually have
"What is the Remedy? "
some pet scheme, some little soreness for
Every state and almost every town of
which they wish a panacea applied.
importance has offered, through the medi-
Now all of these matters become weari-
umship of the local trade, argument in fa-
some, and tend to depress meetings, as well
vor of some sort of organization. That
as to hamper their dispatch of important
the dealers are actuated by the desire to
business.
improve trade customs, and that they con-
We have found in our experience that
sider manifold results which will tend to
more business can be handled by a few
trade betterment would be accomplished
men to whom is delegated authority to act
by organization, is indisputable. We have
by a number of others, than to throw the
evidence which is conclusive in that direc-
whole into one great convention.
In
tion.
other words, the greater power that is
With such a substantial array of evi-
delegated to a few members, the more
dence at hand, showing the belief of the
real business they will accomplish.
dealers that their ultimate destiny is in or-
THE REVIEW MAP.
ganization—that is, if the interests of the
trade are to be advanced—then it becomes
We have prepared a map which we
the proper time for the discussion of possi- present merely to illustrate our suggestion.
ble results to be reached by the forthcom- The map embraces the manufacturing dis-
ing convention of manufacturers in the trict of America. On it will be seen
columns of a paper devoted primarily to dividing lines which separate imaginary
trade interests.
piano associations. Suppose we take the
Having had considerable experience division which we have marked A. This
with outside organizations—being deeply includes the New England States with the
interested in the outcome of the piano exception of Connecticut, as in that
manufacturers' organization—and as we State every one of the manufacturers have
count that its success means a material ad- New York branches and properly should
vance in trade ethics, we believe that a few belong to the New York association. This
words from us will not be considered out division in our illustration should be con-
trolled directly from the Boston branch.
of place at this particular juncture.
The division marked B ; which include
We have attended several meetings of
the International League of Press Clubs, New York,, Petifisyiyanjaj New Jersey,
we became impressed years ago with Connecticut, and a po|n£ a§ far south as
Norfolk, should be controlled by the New
York branch, which would probably be
termed the New York Piano Manufac-
turers' Association.
The division marked C would extend
as far west as St. Paul, as far south as St.
Louis, including the important points of
Cincinnati, and all other territories bound-
ed on the north by the lakes and east as far
as Pennsylvania. This should be controlled
by the Chicago association, having, of
course, headquarters in that city.
Any matter which should affect trade
welfare in any of these divisions, whether
in retail or wholesale fields, instead of being
referred at once to the national associa-
tion, should be first considered by the local
association in which territory the matter
should lie; and then, after consideration
by that organization, should it be deemed
worthy of further notice, it would natur-
ally come before the national organi-
zation.
MATTERS PROPERLY HANDLED.
To illustrate: We will take, say, the
Haines matter. Haines Bros., Incor, have,
we understand written the national asso-
ciation recommending that it take some
action in regard to their case, at least as
far as to show its open condemnation of
the attitude of the Rochester concern.
Now, if the country were to be divided
as we have indicated, the Haines Bros,
case' should have first come before the New
York association, then after being properly
discussed it would, if determined advisable,
move a step further along and come up
for national consideration.
Following out this line we would be
assured of prompt action being taken on
any important matters w T hich might occur
locally. Then they would all be "boiled,"
so to speak, in the neswpaper tongue,
and if they were considered of sufficient
importance to handle nationally they would
come before the convention in a condensed
form, and with a recommendation attached
to them which would give assurance of
immediate and favorable action at the
hands of the national convention. And if
acted favorably upon by the national
organization it would of course become
a law in all the local territory, the national
association being a supreme court, as it
were.
Take the question of instalments, chattel
mortgages in the different States, credits—
everything could be handled first locally,
and it would save vast expenditures of
time when brought before the national
organization.
As to reducing the delegates to the na-
tional convention, suppose the Boston
membership comprised, we will say, forty